Improved mechanism for driving sewing-machines



UNITED STATESA i PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. WILSON, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND J. D. c. OUT- WATER, OE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SEWING-MACHINES.

Speciiication forming part of LettersfPatent No. 97,741, dated December 7, 1869.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, JOHN H. WILSON, of

the city and county ot' Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, and JACOB D. C. OUTWA- TER, ofthe city of Newark, county ot' Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful improvement to be used in connection with sewing or other machines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andthe letters ot' reference marked thereon, making part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is a horizontal sectional view showing the brake forced against the periphery ot' the fly-wheel. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the brake free and the frictionwheel pressing against the fly-wheel. Fig. 3 is a top view of the table with mechanism attached. Fig. 4t is a View of the elbow-lever and brake.

This improved driver and brake is intended for machines driven by steam or other like power, and, while chieliy designed for sewingmachines, is also admirably adapted to other classes of machines. l

The nature of our invention consists iu securing in the upright arm of an elbow-lever the journal ror shaft of a friction-wheel, and also the arm of the brake-shoe. The friction-wheel is connected by an endless belt with the motive power, and is so arranged that by simply depressing a trcadle motion is transmitted to the iiy-wheel of the machine by frictional contact, and so soon as the pressure is relieved from the treadle through a spring that is attached to the horizontal arm of the elbow-lever the iiy-wheel is freed from contact with the frictionwheel and the brake-shoe is forced against the periphery ofthe former. The great advantage of this improvement consists in its simplicity and durability, which is owing to the entire absence of all complicated mechanism, and also in the fact that the machine can readily be driven at the highest rate of speed and stopped on the instant simply by removing the pressure from the treadle.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our` invention, We will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is a table to which the entire mechanism is attached. On the under side of this table -c a shortjournal, C. YC is attached by a screw, d', a grooved wheel, -D. In the groove d of this Wheel D works an is secured a bearing-block, A. To this block Al is pivoted so as to work freely an elbowlever, B B. The upright arm B ot' thislever passes up through an opening in the table. In the upper section of the arm B is an aperture or hole,.in which is Secured by the nut llo this shaft orjournal endless belt, which is connected with a driving-shaft or pulley ot' steam or other motive power. This wheel D is faced with leather D 0r other equivalent material, which not only greatly facilitates the frictional contact between the wheel D and they-wheel X, but also protects each of said wheels from being unduly worn thereby. In the upright arm B of the elbow-lever there is cut a slot, e, in which is secured by bolt e' the brake-arm E and shoe E. The shoe E may be formed by facingthe end of the arm E with leather or other equivaient material, or the shoe may be madein an independent piece and attached by any convenient means. The bolt e', by which the arm E is secured, is held by nuts e2 e2, which enables the operator to adjust the arm E to any desired pointin the slot c, whereby the machine can readily be made to accommodate itself to machines having iy-Wheels ot' different diamv eters.

To the under surface of the horizontal arm Bl of the elbow-lever is secured by screws ff one end of a metal spring, F. The other end of this spring is left perfectly free, resting against the under surface of the top ofthe table. Through au aperturein this spring passes a set-screw, F', by means of which the tension of the spring is regulated. When the machine is in its normal condition the tension of this spring always drives the brake-shoe E' against the periphery ot' the fly-wheel X of the sewing or other machine, as clearly shown in Fig. l. To the outer end of the horizontal arm B is attached a treadle-arm, G. Through the head of the arm B is Icut au opening, C', which communicates with the opening in which the shaft C Works. By means of this opening the shaft C can be conveniently lubricated at any desired moment.

In the drawings, F is a dat metal-plate spring, but of course any other style of spring adapted to the purpose may be used; and instead of the spring being attached as shown its attachment may be reversed, leaving its free end resting on the arm B.

The mechanism is described as attached to the table A. This is ofcourse when the device is used in connection with a sewing-machine. When applied to other classes of machinery it may be desirable to dispense with the table. x This can readily be done simply by securing the mechanism to a beam, girder, or other suitable support, the same being so mortised as to allow of the working of the several parts, as described. Also, the elbow-lever B B', instead of being constructed as described, may be made as shown in Fig. 4. In this iigure it will be observed that the slot e extends nearly the whole length ofthe upright arm B, which enables the horizontal'arm B, as vi ell as Athe brake-arm E, to be adjusted therein at any desired point.

' The operation is as follows: The machine is in the position as shown in Fig. l, the brake;

shoe E bearing against the ywheel X. Through the endless belt motion is communicated to the wheel D, and the same is rapidly revolved, when simply by drawing down the treadle-arm G the brakeshoe is freed from the wheel X, and the Wheel D is drawn against the same, as shown in Fig. 2, when through frictional contact motion is imparted to the wheel X, and through the shaft X transmitted to the 'sewing or other machine. This movement continues so long as the pressure is applied to the treadle-arm Gr; but the moment the same is relieved the spring F throws the brake-shoe E against the wheel X and the Wheel I) away therefrom, the former with such power that the revolution of the {1y-wheel is instantly checked.

Having thus fully described ourinvention, what we claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

1. The grooved friction-Wheel D and brakearm E aud shoe E', when they are secured to thearm B in such manner that the brake-arml shall be adjustable, substantially as described.

2. Elbow-lever B B', WheelD,brahearm E, spring F, and treadle-arm G, when the same are so combined and arranged as'to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signedour names to this specification in the preseucezof two subscribing witnesses. j

JOHN H. WILSON.'

JACOB D. G. OUTWA Ig,- v

I Witnesses:

ROBERT THOMAS, Guo. W. Husson. 

